Saudi Arabia’s hosting of top American and Russian officials for a high-stakes rapprochement meeting underlines the kingdom’s aspirations to become a global actor capable of successfully mediating international conflicts.

Saudi Arabia's crown prince may not be inside the room where the first high-level talks between Russia and the United States over Moscow’s war on Ukraine are taking place.

Russian officials said NATO must disavow a 2008 promise to allow Ukraine to enter the organization in order to end the war.